Maryam in fresh plea complains of govt inaction, requests removal of name from ECL

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz moved a fresh plea in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday requesting it to direct the federal government to strike her name off the no-fly list so she can fly abroad.

Maryam through her lawyers Amjad Pervez and Azam Tarar moved the petition, complaining that this court had earlier directed the government to decide on removal of her name from the Exit Control List within seven days but it had not yet made any decision in this regard, due to which she is unable to travel abroad.

Ex-premier Nawaz Sharif’s daughter once again pleaded with the high court to order removal of her name from the no-fly list.

READ ALSO: Cabinet committee to discuss removal of Maryam Nawaz’s name from ECL

Earlier, on Dec 9,  the LHC had referred Maryam Nawaz’s plea seeking removal of her name from the ECL to the government’s review committee

A two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi heard the case.

Amjad Pervez in his arguments said the name of her client was placed on the ECL without affording her an opportunity of a fair hearing.

“You should have approached the cabinet first before coming to the LHC”, the bench remarked.

The counsel said the ruling PTI, being a rival of the PML-N, will not allow Maryam to fly to London as some federal ministers are too openly saying that they will not allow her to go out of the country.

After hearing preliminary arguments, the bench referred the matter to the government’s review committee and asked it to decide it within seven days. The court in its short verdict also said that the applicant can move the LHC after the decision of the review committee.